"EPA has decided to continue excluding oil and gas waste from federal hazardous waste rules, agreeing with industry that states are already doing the job adequately.
Yesterday's announcement upholds an agency decision made during the Reagan administration to exclude such waste from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, or RCRA.
The move was quickly blasted by environmental groups that had sought to end the exemption. Aaron Mintzes of Earthworks said deeming oil and gas waste nonhazardous is "magical thinking."
In its explanation for continuing the exemption, EPA acknowledged that spills of such materials can cause harm and that the volume of waste has soared with the country's drilling boom. But the agency said new regulations wouldn't do much to prevent problems."
Mike Soraghan reports for EnergyWire April 24, 2019.
SEE ALSO:
"EPA Leaves Oil, Gas Waste Regulation to States" (Bloomberg Environment)
